Track sander



Dec. 17, 1935.

w. H. HxNscH A2,024,361

TRACK SANDER Filed Julyae, 1954 Patented Dec. 17, 1935 miriazN'ry OFFICETRACK SANDER Walter H. Hinsch, Chicago, Ill., assignor to LocomotiveAFirebox Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationJuly16, 1934, Serial No. 735,308

. 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in track Sanders and it consistsof the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

The invention is more particularly `adapted to tracksanders -of theVkind shown in the Sellers and Barnett-patent,-'No. 1,949,977 VOf-March6, 1934 and -one of the Yobjects of the `present invention is toimprove,simplify and Yreduce the cost of 'manufacture' and installation of 'sucha sander.

Another object ofthe invention-s to provide a sander of this kindwherein the sand'inlet and duct'leading tothe sander pipe, as well asthe Yduct and discharge orifice 4for the motive fluid under pressure isembodied in a single casting, adapted to be welded in place in the sanddome and to have all piping connections outside the dome.

Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a sander of this'kindincluding a sander head which is soformed that when use'd with others inmultiple, theyV may'be arranged and welded together side by side asaunit, thus making `Vit practical to use as many sander heads on eachside of the dome as may be required -by the number of drivingy wheels onthe locomotive to which the track sander.l is to be applied.

Still a furtherl object of the invention is'to provide a sander headcapable of being made as a casting and having a longitudinally extendingsand duct and a motive iiuid duct arranged closely thereto and leadinglto an orice that discharges substantially axially into thevsand duct,above its sand inlet, the sander head being formed at that end to bedisposed'withorut the sand dome with openings for the ready attachmentof the sander and air pipes.

The above Vmentioned objects of the invention, as Well as others,together with the ,many advantages thereto will more fully appear as Iproceed with my specification.

` In the drawing:

Fig. 1 isa transverse vertical sectional view through the sand dome orbox of a locomotive enlarged scale through one of the sander heads, astaken in the plane of its sand duct.

In general, my improved sander includes a sander head and piping fordelivering motive uid to the head and for delivering sandto the rails.Each sander head is constituted as a casting, preferably of arectangular cross section and formed with longitudinally extending sandand motive huid ducts respectively. i' The sand duct includes adownturned inlet end and the motive fluid duct terminates in a dischargeorice opening substantially axially v into the sand duct at its inletend. Such a casting may be applied to a sand dome, merely by cutting arectangular opening in the bottom of one side of the dome and theninserting the inlet end of the sander head into the dome through Vsaidopening after which the sander head is welded` in place to close saidopening, air `and sand tight. The opposite end of the sander head whichis. disposed outside of the sand dome is formed to receive the sand andthe motive fluid pipes respectively, which may be attached to the headfrom outside the dome. In a sanding operation, when fluid, such as airunderpressure is fed to the sander-head, a vacuous condition isestablished at the inlet end of the sand duct. This draws sand intorthesand -duct and said sand meets the air blast and mixes therewith, to bedischarged out through thesand duct to the 30 sander pipe for deliveryto the rails. As there are no bends or traps to be impinged against Ybythe .sand blast, as the same is discharged into the sander pipe, thecutting action ofthe sand is reduced and the period of usefulness of the35 sander is greatly increased.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment ofthe invention illustratedin the-accompanying drawing:

I indicates, as a whole, a sand dome or box 40 provided `at its' bottomend with .a flange 2 whereby it may be welded pressure-tight tothe shell3 of a locomotive boiler. As shown herein, the sand kdome is circularwhen viewed in plan and has a central ller opening 4 -at the top 45which may be tightly closed by a cover in the well-known manner.

At each side of the sand dome is `one-or more sander'heads', ldependingupon the size and type of locomotive to which the improved 50 sander isto be applied. As best shown in Figs.

2 and 3, thereare two sander headsat each` side of the dome.

Eachk head is preferably in the form of an elongated block ofsubstantially rectangular 55 cross section having at top, bottom andside surfaces, with rounded corners. In each block is formed alongitudinally extending sand duct 6, the outer end of which is threadedto receive an end of an associated sander pipe 1. The innerend of theblock is provided with a downwardly facing inlet nozzle or extension 8having an inlet mouth 9 which joins the duct 6 by a rounded elbowportion iii. The inlet mouth 9 is preferably made tapering so that itsextremity is of a diameter less than that of the duct 6. Also in saidsander head and preferably spaced to one side of the sand duct, is amotive fluid or air duct II that opens at its outer end through the topof the head. This end of the motive fluid duct is threaded to take anelbow I2 for receiving the associated end of pipe I3 which may lead froma source of air under pressure. Preferably when two of such sander headsare employed at each side of the dome, said elbows face in oppositedirections as shown in Fig. 2.

The inner end of the motive fluid duct turns a corner to enter a bos I4on the inner end of the head, and an orifice I5, connects said inner endof the fluid duct with the inner end of the sand duct. Preferably thisorifice which is a drilled hole, is arranged substantially axially ofthe sand duct. The boss I4 is provided with an end opening I5 wherebythe orice may be drilled from the inner end of the head and this dome.

opening is then closed by a screw plug I1.

In installing a pair of such heads in each side of the dome, two of saidheads are welded together at the grooves formed by the adjacent top andbottom rounded corners of both heads.

These weldings are shown at I9 in Fig. 3. An opening is then cut in thebottom of the dome side of an outline corresponding to the cross sectionand of a size to receive the two heads welded together as a unit. Suchan opening is indicated at I8 in Fig. l. The inner ends of two of theheads tlius welded together as a unit, are inserted through saidopening, tangentially to the boiler shell, to such a distance as willbring the inlet mouth of each head a suitable distance above the shell.A line of welding is then run about the opening to secure the heads as aunit in place in the sand dome. Thus the heads are secured together as aunit and are .also secured in operative relation, pressuretight andleak-proof in the dome. If the locomotive requires more Sanders, threeor four of such heads may be secured together as a unit for attachmentto the associated side of the Generally four of such heads as a unit,are the maximum number required;

l'When fluid such as air, under pressure, enters the duct II itdischarges through the orice I5 axially into the inner end of theassociated sand duct 6. This discharge of motive fluid creates a vacuouscondition in the said end of each sand duct, that siphons or causes arush of sand through the inlet mouth 9 of the head to mix with saidfluid issuing from the orifice. This will cause a movement of the sandthrough the sand duct into the sander pipe for discharge.

Preferably that end of the sander pipe that is secured in the outer endof the sander head, is straight so as to be disposed axially of the sandduct. Thus there are no bends interposed in the path of the blast to beworn out thereby and there are no pockets or traps in which sand canaccumulate. Also there are no such joints as will admit moisture to thesand so that it Will not dampen to there afterwards pack and cloganywhere along its path of discharge to the rails.

It is to be noted that all sander and motive fluid pipe connections aremade outside the 5 dome. Therefore when such pipes require removalduring servicing of the locomotive, no work need be done within therelatively small confines of the dome.

The sander head comprises a single casting 10 with the plug mentionedand the number of threading or other operations thereon are reduced to aminimum. Thus the head which is of a simple construction may be producedat a low cost. 15

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, thesame is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do notwish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with the sand dome of a locomotive, a plurality ofsander heads having flat sides engaged and secured together inhorizontal alignment to provide a sander head unit, means for securingsaid unit to said dome near the bottom thereof with the inner end ofeach head inside and the outer end of each head outside the dome, eachhead having longitudinally extending sand and motive fluid ductsrespectively that open through the outer end of the head and are thereformed for the connection of sander and motive fluid pipes respectively,the inner end of each head being formed with a downwardly opening inletmouth for the sand duct, said inner end being further formed with anorifice which opens from said motive fluid duct substantially axiallyinto the sand duct for the discharge of motive fluid thereto.

2. In combination with the sand dome of a locomotive, having an openingin one side near its bottom, a plurality of sander heads, weldedtogether side by side in horizontal alignment to provide a unit which isengaged and is welded in said opening so that the inner end portion ofthe unit is'disposed inside the dome, and the outer end portion isdisposed outside the dome and is there formed for the attachment ofsander and motive fluid pipes respectively each sander head having sandand fluid ducts respectively that communicate with each other at theinner end, the inner end of each head being formed to provide adownwardly facing inlet mouth for the associated sand duct.

3. In combination with the sand dome of a locomotive having an openingin one side near its bottom, a plurality of sander heads having flat,engaging'side faces, welded together in horizontal 60 alignment toprovide a unit which is engaged and welded in said opening so that theinner end portion of said unit is disposed in said dome and the outerend portion is disposed outside the dome and is there formed for theattachment of sander and motive fluid pipes respectively each sanderhead having sand and fluid ducts respectively that communicate With eachother at the inner end, the inner end of each head being formed toprovide a downwardly facing inlet 701 mouth for the associated sandduct.

4. In combination with the sand dome of a locomotive having an openingin one side near its bottom, a plurality of sander heads each of Varectangular cross section and having flat engag- 7&.1

ing side faces' welded together in horizontal alignment to provide aunit which is engaged and welded in said opening so that the inner` endportion of said unit is disposed inside the dome and the outer endportion is disposed outside the dome and is there provided for theattachment of sander and motive uid pipes respectively each sander headhaving sand and fluid ducts respectively that communicate with eachother at the inner end, the inner end of each head being formed toprovide a downwardly facing inlet mouth for the associated sand duct.

5. A sander head for a track sander embodying therein a member havinglongitudinally extending sand and motive fluid ducts respectively, thesaid ducts opening through one end of the head and there formed for theattachment of sander and motive uid pipes respectively, the other end ofthe sand duct terminating in a downwardly facing inlet mouth and theother end of the motive uid duct having an angularly disposed part,there being an orifice in the said other end of the head that opens atone end into the angularly disposed part of the motive fluid duct andopens at its other end substantially axially into the sand duct aboveits inlet mouth to provide for the inlet of motive uid from the motiveuid duct into the sand duct.

6. A sander head for a track sander embodying therein a member having alongitudinally ex- 5 tending sand duct and a laterally spaced,longitudinally extending motive fluid duct, both ducts opening throughone end of the said member and there formed to receive sander and motivefluid pipes respectively, the other end of said member being formed toprovide a downwardly facing, l angularly disposed inlet mouth for thesand duct, said other end of said member being further formed with anangularly disposed portion for the motive fluid duct, there being anorice in said last mentioned end of said member thatA opens at one endinto said last mentioned portion of the motive fluid duct and openssubstantially axially into the associated end of the sand duct and aboveits inlet mouth to provide for the inlet of motive uid into the sandduct and a removable plug in the last mentioned end of said member,axially in line with said orifice.

WALTER H. HINSCH.

